How I met Stanley Yelnats
by Deyna Ian Bloom
Summary: The story of Deyna, Pendanski's daughter, working and living in Camp Green Lake. On the way she finds romance, and a few other things. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Camp Green Lake. That's what this story is about. My name is Deyna. Deyna Pendanski and I'm a girl. Despite popular belief otherwise that is. I came to Camp Green Lake by choice. Yes, that's right. I wanted to dig holes out in the hot sun everyday. Why you ask? This and more will be explained in:

How I met Stanley Yelnats

By Deyna Pendanski

Chapter 1

I was in D tent. D for me stands for Dad, which is what Pendanski is to me. It started out with me being a secret and only the grown-ups knew about me. I used to live in the Warden's cabin. To "earn my keep" I would dig holes around her house, do her laundry, and help her make nail polish (not my favorite of the three). Sometimes I even filled in holes that the boys had dug. In any sense, I did everything that the boys did.

I don't know what brought this action on, but the Warden decided it would be safer if I joined the campers - as a boy. The plan was simple. The nest time the bus came, I was to stow away on it. Then it would bring me back in a few weeks. When the bus finally came, it carried a curly-headed kid about my age and a head taller than me. I stared a long time at him until Pendanski ushered me away. While everyone was eating, I was led onto the bus. Pendanski handed the guard and driver some money. He told them to keep quiet and to bring me back in two weeks. I stayed with the driver and his wife. They kept me digging each day, to keep my hand callused; but enough about that.

The two weeks passed swiftly and I was soon on the dusty bus back to my home. I had on a knitted stretch hat to hide my hair and a regular boy's outfit. My chest was tightly bound so it didn't look too noticeable. The bus stopped and the guard took off my handcuffs. He led me to Mr. Sir's office and opened the door for me. Mr. Sir turned around and spat some sunflower seeds into a dirty jar.

"Sit down, Deyna." He pretended to read my file (in case anyone was looking) as I slumped down in a chair. He handed the guard a Dr. Pepper and almost handed me one too, but he chuckled and put it back in the fridge.

"Sorry Deyna, but you ain't gonna' get no special treatment no more." He directed me outside to another office. He gave me a pair of boots, socks and two orange outfits.

"Everyday you must dig a hole…" he rambled on for a while and I stopped listening.

"Dress in here." He pointed to a closet with no windows. I quickly dressed into an orange outfit and opened the door. Pendanski walked in at the same moment.

"Come on Deyna." He walked out so I followed.

"Who are you?" I said, trying to talk lower. He looked at me like I was nuts. He soon caught on though.

"I'm Dr. Pendanski, your counselor. You're in D Tent." I couldn't help thinking that D stands for Dad. He opened the tent flap and let it close so that I would have to open it too.

"Now, boys, I want you to meet Deyna." There were six boys in the room and eight cots. Three of the boys were black, two were white and one was Hispanic. Pendanski gave me half a wink and left. I smiled and looked around the whole tent. One of the black boys stood up and adjusted his obscure glasses.

"So you're Deyna, huh?" he studied me as if trying to figure me out.

"Deyna? I thought that was a girl's name!" one of the white boys said. Everyone laughed until the boy with the glasses spoke again.

"Quiet Squid." He stared at me again. "There's something odd…" his voice trailed off. "I'm X-Ray." The Hispanic boy smiled and slapped "Squid's" arm.

"I'm Magnet, and this is Squid." The other white boy was "Zigzag" and the big black boy was "Armpit". And X-Ray said that the small black boy was "Zero." He never spoke a word; he just stared at me. I remembered myself just in time and held my caring smile.

"Hey, so you talk? Or are you just like Zero?" X-Ray broke my concentration.

"Which bunk is mine?" I said, trying to look tough. Magnet pointed to the bunk next to him.

"You get the bed next to me, man." I put my things into my crate and started opening up my sheets.

'Oops,' I thought, 'guys don't make their bed.' I finished putting on the fitted sheet and stuffed the other one under my pillow.

Pendanski broke the silence (and stares) when he walked in.

"Well, you're talking so loud in here that I couldn't hear myself think." Pendanski's joke was not accepted. He cleared his throat and went on.

"All right boys, its shower time. Come on, let's go." They all followed him out but he came back.

"Deyna, the nicest boy here is going to be your mentor. His name is Stanley but they call him Caveman. I think he should be due soon. He's got curly hair." The word "Pendanski" echoed from outside the tent so he quickly left.

I got up and slowly looked at my surroundings. A few pairs of boxers were hanging on the wall along with hats and some shirts. I ran my finger on the top of the crates and looked inside them. They all had the essentials and a keepsake in them. One was a TV Guide dated March 22, 1998 with Star Trek on the cover. I ran my finger over the worn cover, smiling. Another was a baseball mitt. And yet another was a rubber octopus. I stopped when I saw a picture in one of the crates.

'It must be someone's parents.' I thought to myself. I slowly brought out my keepsake and set it in my crate. It was a worn but loved copy of _Salamandastron_.

"You like books huh?" said a voice in the doorway. I moved slowly towards the voice as if it hadn't scared me. I came face to face with the curly-headed kid from the bus.

"What's it to you?" I said, all tough-like. He raised and lowered one shoulder.

"Are you Caveman?" I said, knowing the answer.

"Yeah, why."

"Pendanski told me that you're my mentor."

"Oh, so you're Deyna." My heart stopped. Did he know?

"Pendanski told me to look for you. Come on, its time for showers." He beckoned me out the door and I cautiously followed.


	2. Chapter 2

I followed with uncertainty and started biting my lip. How was I supposed to shower with boys around?

"Hey you! Deyna! Come here!" Mr. Sir called to me.

"Yes Mr. Sir?" He handed me a note and walked away.

__

Dear Deyna,

You will shower and sleep in my cabin for now.

The Warden

I slowly let out a big breath. Saved by the note.

"What is it?" Stanley walked over and stood in front of me.

"Nothing. The Warden needs to see me. That's all." Stanley blinked hard but didn't ask why.

"See ya at dinner." He said and strode off to the showers.

The Warden's door was open a bit so I didn't knock. She was slumped on her couch watching television. She turned her head for a second then turned it back.

"You know where the shower is. Get going."

I quickly took my shower and left. When I was walking back I spotted D Tent kids on the porch of the Wreck Room.

"Hey dude, where'd you go?" Magnet said while swinging the Wreck door back and forth. I looked towards him but kept walking.

"Hey, are you deaf?" X-Ray shouted. I stopped walking and turned.

"You ask too many questions, X-Ray." In a flash, all the D Tent boys were around me with X-Ray in my face.

"You want to say that again, punk?" X-Ray's eyes poured into my face but I stared just as hard back at him. If I was going to survive here, I was going to have to be tougher than everyone so they wouldn't pick on me and accidentally take off my precious hat. X-Ray suddenly smiled at me. I think he even laughed a little.

"Okay Deyna. Here's the scoop. No one ever stands up to X-Ray so you're pretty tough. But, if you want to get by, I'm the boss." He thumped his chest with one hand at the word "I'm." He smiled and looked at the other faces.

"No one messes with Hercules." They all smiled and looked at me. A big bong came from the mess hall and all the boys started walking towards it. X-Ray turned back to me.

"Come on Hercules. It's time to eat." I smiled.

"Hercules," I said under my breath. "It's better than nothing."


	3. Chapter 3

I grabbed a tray and got at the end of the line. The Warden had told me that I get what's left after all the boys get their food. What was left wouldn't be much but it would be enough. The guy serving the beans had to scrape the bowl twice and even then, I didn't get a full spoon. It was the same with all the other guys and I got one slice of bread. Reluctantly, I sat down opposite X-Ray and looked longingly at their full plates. In turn, they all stared at me.

"So what'd you do?" Armpit asked. I stared hard at him because I didn't know what he meant. I shrugged. How was I supposed to answer?

"You mean you don't know?" Squid looked at me like I was nuts.

"I spilled some nail polish." Which had been true - but I doubt that was why.

They all laughed.

"You're really funny Hercules!" Magnet said. "So what'd you really do?" X-Ray spoke up.

"Hey, if Hercules doesn't want to tell, that's fine." I looked up and locked eyes with Stanley. I knew he didn't believe me. I looked down and concentrated on my dinner.

Back at the tent, I stretched out on my cot, which smelled like spoiled milk. At least it didn't smell like rotten milk. I waited until I could hear everyone's steady breathing (and a few snores) and then I got up. Except my hat caught on my bed and it came off.

"Oh no!" I breathed. I checked to see if anyone had seen my shoulder length hair but they were all asleep. I quickly put the hat back on and left the tent.

The next day, I quickly left the Warden's cabin and got back to the tent just as everyone was getting up.

"Rise and shine!" I said, clapping my hands. I almost started singing but I stopped myself in time. I halted at Stanley's cot because he was staring at me. His face said that he knew something that I didn't. I shrugged it off and left the tent. Mt. Sir walked over to the "Library" and opened the door for us to get our shovels. We grabbed a tortilla with a sticky substance on it and were shepherded towards our digging positions. Mr. Sir dug his heel into the ground and pointed to it.

"Get digging." I made a face when he turned around and gripped my shovel handle. Eagerly, I began to dig. I wasn't that fast but by lunch, my hole was as deep as Stanley's. Zero finished first and spat into his hole. Then Armpit and all the others followed. It was just Stanley left. I heard him get out of his hole and start walking.

'Well, at least I'm alone.' I thought. I took a drink out of my canteen and started to hear steady breathing behind me. I turned and saw Stanley sitting on the edge of my hole with his big brown eyes fixed on me. I set my shovel down and stared back.

"What," I said, more as a statement than a question.

"I saw you last night. I saw your hair."

"So."

"Deyna, you're a girl!" I slumped down in my hole.

"So you caught me. What about it?" Tears sprang out of my eyes. His eyes softened and I heard him jump down into my hole. He lifted my chin with his hand.

"I won't tell. Your secret is safe with me."

"Thanks Stanley. Or do you prefer Caveman?"

"Stanley is okay, when we're alone." He sat down beside me and took his hat off then ran his fingers through his loose ringlets.

"So why are you here? Were all the girl's camps full?" I laughed and he smiled at me.

"No. Nothing like that. Pendanski's my dad so I wanted to be with him." Stanley's face looked like he was about to kiss me.

"I've never known such devotion. That's amazing." He took my hand and rubbed it with his thumb.

"Well, what do we have here?" Pendanski stood over us and barked out orders. "Stanley, get back to your hole. Move it!" Stanley left but Pendanski didn't. I began to dig again and ignored him.

"What was that Deyna?"

"He found out."

"He found out? So help me Deyna! What did you do that gave it away?" I dug faster.

"My hat caught on my bed. He was awake."

"Are you sure that he's the only one that knows?"

"Dad!" I stopped digging and looked up at him. "I'm handling this, okay?"

"Not okay! If anyone else finds out, that's it! You have to leave."

"I know." My eyes filled with tears and my attempt at wiping them off made my face dirty. He looked sorry.

"Just…don't talk about it, okay?" I nodded and resumed digging while he walked away.

Stanley finished before me and walked over to me.

"Need any help?" I realized that he was saying this because I'm a girl. But I was done with my hole anyway.

"I'm perfectly capable of digging my own hole, thank you. But thanks for asking." I smiled and felt self-conscious of my dirty face. He smiled too.

"May I walk back with you?" He held out his hand to help me out of my hole, which I accepted.

I turned around and spat into my first hole. Stanley took my hand and we started back towards the complex.

"I wonder who thought up spitting into the holes?" I asked. He smiled.

"That's one of the questions you don't ask." We both laughed. He squeezed my hand.

"Deyna, I'm glad you're a girl."

(I'm glad you're a camel too, Mabel.)


	4. Chapter 4

Later in the reck room, I was sitting on the couch with Stanley, who was trying very hard not to put his arm around me or hold my hand. ZigZag sat in front of the television with his eyes fixed on the fuzzy screen. Everyone was tired from digging, except me. I felt like I could dig two more holes and not be tired. I tried to pretend that I was just as tired as everyone else. It worked, except for the fact that I had no blisters on my hands. First day diggers always got blisters but I hadn't. I tried to keep my hands covered so X-Ray wouldn't notice.

The next day, after Mr. Sir filled our canteens and drove away, Magnet produced something out of his hole.

"Anybody want some sunflower seeds?" I sucked in my breath as I watched the sack being handed around the holes. Stanley was thinking the same thing as me. We were going to get caught.

"Guys, no!" I said, more to myself than them. The bag was tossed to Stanley where it fell and got spilled.

"Caveman," I silently breathed. I wanted to help him but decided it was better not to. Mr. Sir drove back up and found the sack in Stanley's hole.

"I think the Warden would like to see what you found." Mr. Sir took Stanley away in his truck. It took all of my willpower not to cry.

"Now look at what you did!" I yelled. Everyone hung their heads. Zero got out of his hole and jumped into Stanley's hole. I smiled at him.

"At least one of you has sense." I continued digging and left everyone to their conscience.

Stanley returned later that day, still alive. I looked up from my digging.

"What happened?" Magnet asked.

"Nothing." Came his reply.

"What'd she do?" X-Ray adjusted his glasses.

"Nothing." Everyone looked at each other and shrugged. Stanley walked to his hole (which was next to mine) and discovered that it had been finished.

"Thanks guys!"

"Don't look at us," Magnet said.

"Yeah, it was Zero. That boy likes to dig." Zigzag confessed.

"He'd dig a hole to China, man!" Armpit said.

"Yeah, but where do them Chinese kids dig to?" Squid laughed.

"Man, shut up!" I laughed silently at their little joke.

Everyone was done before me so I walked back to the tent alone after my shower. I walked in on Stanley and Zero who were in the middle of a writing and reading lesson.

"Hey Deyna," Zero said. His smile covered his whole face. "Stanley is teaching me how to read."

"Good for you, sport." I ruffled his hair with my hand and looked at Stanley over his head. His eyes bore into mine and I felt my face flush. "See ya later." I quickly left the tent and ran into Pendanski. He gave me an "I'm mad at you" look and walked the other way. 

When I rounded the corner to the reck room, I was greeted with two boys fighting and a crowd around them. I ran up and pushed my way through. Quickly, I jumped in and pulled the two apart.

"What's going on here?" One of the boys was black and the other white.

"He said that black people are nothing but dirt," the black boy said.

"That's right, black boy!" The white boy said.

"Hey, stow the insults, okay? Sit down." I pointed down.

"What?"

"Sit! Maybe you'll learn something." Everyone sat down, although I only meant the two. I could tell by people's faces that my tone was commanding.

"You say that black people are nothing but dirt? Black people came from white people. And white people came from dirt." I pointed to a random boy. "You would not criticize a woman because she is different in looks than you." I turned and pointed to the original white boy. "So you should not criticize another male because his skin is different. If you were blind, it wouldn't matter what colour his skin is." I crossed my arms and looked around. A few boys had tears in their eyes and all of the counselors were in the street listening.

"Class dismissed." I shoved my way out and walked into the reck room. There were a few boys in the doorway, listening to my speech. As it happened, they were the D-tent boys. I pushed through them and slumped down on the couch. They followed and stood in front of me.

"Hercules, we named you right. You're strong in body and mind." X-Ray smiled. "I have a problem too, if you're not too busy…"


	5. Chapter 5 and Epilogue

Author's Note:

The "I'm glad you're a Camel too, Mabel" thing is from "Road to Morocco" with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.

The Next 2 weeks happened quickly. Boys turned to me for their problems so my hat was in no danger. At meal times, Stanley never finished his food, for a reason. He ate slow because I did and then when all of our boys had gone, he would scoot over and give me what was left on his plate. I would thank him and then he would watch me eat. He had killer eyes.

Pendanski began to notice how much attention Stanley gave me. He stopped me when I was getting back from my shower a few week later.

"Deyna, we need to talk about something." I stopped walking.

"Sure Da-… Mom. What's up?"

"Deyna, Stanley has been seen hanging around you. I know that he knows about you, but have you even thought that he has a crush on you?" I sighed. Of course I did. It's not everyday that you know the cutest guy on earth.

"Yes I have, Mom." Pendanski looked frustrated.

"Deyna, just stay away from him for right now okay?"

"What do you mean "Stay away from him?" I came here to be with you but you're always busy so I never see you. He keeps me company!" The boys washing the Warden's car looked at us funny. Pendanski silenced their looks.

"Well then, maybe you shouldn't have come here." Tears swelled in my eyes. He immediately looked sorry.

"I didn't mean that. Deyna, I'm-" I ran off before he could finish. I ran to where the diggers were. At the moment, the boys were out digging one big hole. I was excused from the work when I found a trinket that the Warden had lost. I discovered it on the ground next to her car.

I passed A, B, C and E campers on my way and then all of D-Tent but Stanley.

"Where's Stanley?" They pointed back at the hole, too tired to answer. I found him poking around some holes near the big one.

"Stanley," I said. He turned. "I have to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"It's Pendanski. He told me to stay away from you." Stanley laughed. He took my wrist and started walking back.

"Tell me the details while we're walking, okay?" I smiled and followed. I told him what had happened and he bit his lip in concentration.

"You know that he didn't mean what he said." I looked at the ground and didn't answer.

"I don't know." I walked blindly towards the tent.

"Things will get better. You came here to stay with him. He'll remember soon enough."

"I hope that you're right. I really do." He smiled and opened the tent flap for me. I walked into the tent and slowly headed over to my cot. Armpit stopped me.

"Hey Hercules! Why are you always wearing that stupid hat?" He tugged at the object in question and then pulled it off. My hair fell in ringlets from being in the hat all the time as a gasp went around the tent. Six mouths were wide open. Stanley stood in the doorway of the tent, dead in his tracks. I held out my hand and still stunned, Armpit gave me my hat back.

"Deyna! What happened?" Pendanski stood in the other doorway looking very angry. I ran towards him. Tears streamed from my eyes as I hugged him. He returned the gesture and put his hand on my head.

"What happened?" He looked around the room at the seven faces.

"It was an accident, Mom. I didn't mean to." Armpit looked like someone was about to slap him.

"Daddy, I don't want to leave!" I breathed into his shirt.

"Daddy? What?" X-Ray said what everyone else was thinking. I buried my head in Pendanski's shirt and cried. I barely heard what was said.

"Sit down boys." A few beds creaked and Pendanski continued. "Deyna is my daughter. She came to this camp to be with me. Originally, she stayed with the Warden but it was decided that she should stay here as a camper. And now that you all know about her, she has to leave here." I let out a few loud sobs at the reminder.

"Alright boys, it's time to eat. Deyna, pack you stuff up." He let me go and left. My eyes were red and swollen but I still saw Stanley's tall figure in the doorway. I wished with all my might that he would hold me. Or course, I had been thinking that before also. I cradled my head in my hands and closed my eyes.

"Deyna." I heard his wonderful voice right above me and then I felt his arms around me. I returned the hug and nuzzled his neck. I smiled. At least I got one good thing from all this.

The next day, I stood behind the supply truck. It was going to take me to the town where Stanley was from. My Grandparents lived there and they were going to take care of me. I was still in my orange suit but my hair was loose and blowing around. The Warden was talking to the truck driver while Pendanski helped me get my stuff aboard. Noisily, he closed the truck door.

"Now you be a good girl and obey your grandparents." He wiped a tear off his cheek. I hugged him.

"I love you Dad." He put me down and kissed my forehead.

"Now, go on before they leave without you." He opened the passenger door for me.

"Say goodbye to Stanley for me Dad." He nodded and closed the door behind me.

And so, Camp Green Lake faded out of my life. I heard later that Zero and Stanley ended up helping to shut down Camp Green Lake which landed the Warden, Mr. Sir and Pendanski in the slammer. But before this story ends, there's one more scene to show.

__

2 months later…

I deposited my books in my locker and got my backpack out. I had on a green mini-skirt which made all the guys like me but I didn't care. I only had eyes for one boy - and he wasn't there.

I closed my locker and leaned against it. The bell announced that it was time for the next period. I started walking down the hallway but never got to my classroom.

I turned to go down another hallway when I heard my name.

"Deyna, Come back!" I stopped and turned around. It was Zero.

"Zero, what are you doing here, man?" He smiled.

"It's not must me," he said. Stanley rounded the corner from where he had been hiding.

"Stanley," I said, barely audible. Half of me was stuck to the floor and the other half wanted to grab him and kiss his gorgeous lips, but he got there first. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and shoulder blades, pulling me deeper into his kiss. I gently placed my hands on his shoulders. Hey, what did I care? I was getting what I wanted. Zero coughed and we broke apart to look at him. Stanley let me go and took my hands.

"Sorry about sending your dad to jail." I laughed.

"He'll get out someday. It wasn't your fault." I didn't care even if it was. All I was thinking about were those gorgeous brown eyes in front of me. And I still am.


	6. Author's Note

Author's Note:

I am so excited that everyone liked my story! Some people mentioned a sequel, and I'd be willing to write one if y'all will give me some ideas. So, leave a review with ideas, e-mail me, IM me, whatever!


	7. POSSIBLE SEQUAL!

A note from the Author:

How's this for a sequal? If you don't like it, then give me some ideas for one! And if you do like it, give me ideas anyway!

Possible sequal: After Deyna's grandparents are suddenly killed in a car accident, she inherits their small fortune. Then out of the blue, a strange woman comes and claims motherhood to Deyna. But when she takes the woman to her father so he can identify her, he is found dead in his cell. Deyna's custody instantly goes to the woman and now D-Tent must join together again to save her.

Lizzie


End file.
